No One Gets Left Behind
by Eplen91
Summary: No one gets left behind is the motto that the soldiers lives by but do it also apply for civilians? Lorne/OC – friendship.


I don't own anything, so please don't sue me. I really want to thank my beta, drey'auc475 for an amazing job. It says it's a Lorne/OC – friendship, it's more of a beginning of a friendship. It's also my first story in Stargate Atlantis.

* * *

Evan Lorne loved being a major in the Air Force and he loved being stationed in Atlantis, but there were some things he didn't like about the job. Babysitting scientist was one of them. He and his team were waiting on Doctors Parrish and Miller, whom they were accompanying offworld to study some vegetation on P3M-736. He had been on a mission with Dr. Parrish once before but not Dr. Miller. He had only seen her a few times in the hallway, but never talked to the botanist.

"Good morning, Major," Parrish said, smiling as he stepped into the Gate Room. "Are you ready to spend your day studying beautiful plants?"

Lorne smiled dryly. "Sure." His gaze shifted to the woman behind Parrish. "Ready to go on your first trip off world, Doctor Miller?" he asked the anxious scientist.

"Yeah, sure," Dr. Miller replied, giving him a nervous smile.

Lorne smiled reassuringly at her in return. "You'll be fine. Alright, let's get moving." He gave a signal to his team to move out.

---

Stepping out of the event horizon of the Stargate to P3M-736**,** Lorne scouted the area for a moment before directing his team in the plants up for study. Past experiences with this particular planet had him paranoid.

"I hope we don't find a dead Wraith this time," Sergeant Reed said, looking over his shoulder to Parrish. "Remember, Doc?" Sergeant Coughlin, the other member of Lorne's team, snickered and ducked his head to hide his smile.

Miller sent Parrish a frightened look. "A dead Wraith?"

"I can assure you that we are not going to find a dead Wraith, Doctor Miller," Major Lorne said, shooting Reed and Coughlin a sharp look. The two sergeants had the sense to look apologetic. "Reed was joking."

They continued to walk in silence as Reed's attempt at humour had failed to lighten the mood. After a couple hours of hiking they arrived at their target location. Leafy trees, shrubs and vegetation surrounded them. Miller and Parrish sat down on the rocks to rest, admiring their surroundings and pointing out various species to each other. After they had recovered from their hike somewhat, Parrish stood up and stumbled over to Lorne.

"Do you think we can get started, Major?" he asked eagerly. The scientist was practically bouncing on his toes. "There's a species of _Williamsonia sewardiana_ I saw last time that I want to show Doctor Miller."

Lorne let out a heavy sigh, "Okay," he said getting to his feet. "Let's keep moving." He turned to the two sergeants, "Reed, Coughlin; you stay here. Keep in radio contact and check in every twenty minutes." They nodded at the order and Lorne turned back to Parrish. "Move out."

---

Parrish, Miller and Lorne entered the glade where they had found the dead Wraith on their previous visit to this planet. Uneasiness shivered down Lorne's spine as he looked about. There was nothing in the immediate vicinity, and he put his disquiet down to paranoia. Parrish took the lead from Lorne and rushed away, leaving the major to walk with Dr. Miller.

"So, Doctor Miller," he said casually. "How do you like being off world so far?"

"Please, call me Bailey," she replied with a small smile. "Surprisingly, I enjoy being off world." She glanced up at Lorne as they walked. "How about you? Do you like your job?"

Lorne smiled in return. "Yeah, I love it... most days." He glanced over at Miller quickly.

She smirked knowingly. "Except on the days you have to babysit scientists." He gave her an embarrassed smile. "It's OK, I completely understand."

Suddenly, a scream was heard from deeper into the forest, followed by Parrish running toward them. As Parrish ran, bullets flying from behind him. Before either Lorne or Bailey could react, the major cried out as a bullet tore into his shoulder and fell to the ground. Bailey let out a scream and collapsed to her knees beside him.

"Oh my God!" she sobbed as Parrish reached them and fell beside them, behind a log for cover. She automatically _put some pressure_on Lorne's shoulder.

"What are we going to do?!" Parrish cried, panicked.

"I don't know!" Bailey barked, trying to keep from losing her head. "It isn't like I've been in this situation before!"

"Look..." Major Lorne said, his breath short with pain. "Get outta here! Get to Reed and Coughlin; they know what to do!"

"I'm not leaving you here!" Bailey yelled at him over the din of gunfire and bullets pelting into the surrounding vegetation. Ignoring Lorne's glares and objections, she looked up at Parrish. "Run!"

"What about you and Major Lorne?!"

"We'll be fine. Go!" With only a moment's hesitation Parrish took off through the trees, as fast as his legs would carry him.

"What are you doing?!" Lorne shouted, pushing at Bailey to go. "Get outta here. That's an order!"

"You can't give me orders, Major," she shouted back, "and I'm not going to have your life on my conscience. Besides don't you soldiers always go on about how no one gets left behind? And I'm not going to leave _you_ behind!" Bullets flew over their heads and the screams were becoming more distinct. The sounds raised the hairs on the back of Bailey's neck. Then a sound of a dart was heard over the clamour. The bullets and the screams suddenly stopped. A shiver ran down her spine.

"This can't possibly get any worse," Bailey muttered to herself and started to scout about in panic for place to hide. A little further away, she saw a cave. Glancing around for anything that might shoot at her, she turned back to Lorne. "I'm going to move you to that cave over there so we're hidden if they come back. I don't think I'll be able to move you very far." The major's shoulder was bleeding profusely and she was getting seriously worried. Taking a firm grip on the top of Lorne's Kevlar vest she dragged him over to the cave. When they were inside the cave, Bailey let out a heavy sigh.

"Now we are safe," she assured him, giving a faint smile to the poor major. He gave her a small smile in return. But it was spoiled considerably by the pallor of his skin and the sheen of sweat that covered his forehead. He was running out of time.

---

Hours had gone by and it had begun to get dark. Bailey had managed to stop the bleeding with her field med-kit, but Lorne had lost lot of blood and he didn't look good at all. Every time he closed his eyes, she thought he'd died, so she had been checking his pulse every minute and prodding him slightly to get some kind of response from him. Bailey sat and stared out into the forest, thinking of what people back in Atlantis might be doing right now. She said a quick prayer for herself and Lorne.

Suddenly the major's radio crackled to life. "_Major Lorne, this is Colonel Sheppard; come in._"

Bailey couldn't believe her ears. Was her mind playing a trick on her or was this for real?

"_Major Lorne; this is Colonel Sheppard, please respond_," came the call again.

It _was_ for real; they had been found. Bailey scurried over to Lorne and snatched up the radio. "Colonel Sheppard, this is Doctor Miller. We're in a cave not far from where Major Lorne was shot. And there was a Dart."

"_We know. It's good to hear you're okay. How's the major?_"

She glanced at Lorne. "He's lost a lot of blood and his pulse is weak."

"_Okay, sit tight. We are coming for you. Sheppard out_."

Bailey smiled with relief and knelt beside Lorne, her fingers searching for a pulse on his wrist. "Did you hear that, Major? They are coming for us. It's going to be alright; you're going to be fine." At least that's what she prayed.

---

Lorne's eyes slowly fluttered open. The smell of antiseptic and the pain that was arching through his body reminded him he'd been injured. When his eyes were fully open, he saw Doctor Beckett and Colonel Sheppard talking not far from his cot.

Beckett, who was facing towards Lorne's bed, smiled. "I think my patient is awake." Colonel Sheppard turned and walked over the major's bed with Beckett.

"How are you feeling, Major?" Sheppard asked

Lorne suppressed a groan of pain while trying to sit up, "I've been better. Is everybody okay?"

"Aye; Doctor Parrish, Sergeant Reed and Sergeant Coughlin are all safe, son," Beckett informed him.

"And Doctor Miller?"

"She is just shaken up bit."

"Good to see you made it outta there alive," Sheppard said with a smile. Lorne gave a dry laugh. "I'll catch you later." Sheppard patted Lorne's knee and headed out of the infirmary. On his way out he bumped into Dr. Miller.

"Colonel," she greeted with a small nod.

"Doctor," he greeted back, flipping his hand at her in a wave before continuing on his way. Miller paused at the door, searching for Lorne. Spotting him, she made a beeline for his bed.

"Looks like you have visitor, Major," Dr. Beckett smiled and walked over to his desk.

"How are you?" Dr. Miller asked, stepping closer to the bed.

Lorne shrugged his good shoulder. "Good, considering the circumstances.

"I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry for yelling at you and freaking out like that," Miller said, her hands behind her back and her eyes down cast. She'd been thinking a lot about how she had acted when the major had been lying there, hurt, and how she had been yelling at him. It made her stomach twist and contract with embarrassment. "If there is anything I can do for you, just ask."

Lorne gave her a genuine smile. "Don't worry about it; really. And thank you... for not leaving me behind."

"Unwritten military code, right?" She smiled

"Right," Major Lorne smiled back.

There was a slightly awkward pause as they watched the other. "I have to get back to work," Miller said finally. "Just wanted to see that you were okay." She smile again and turned to walk out of the infirmary.

"I know what you can do for me," Major Lorne called after her.

Miller stopped and turned. "Yeah?" she said cautiously.

"You could join me for lunch when I get out of here," he said hopefully. "Every day until I'm back on active duty."

Miller grinned at him, her whole face lighting up. "Sure, Major. That won't be a problem." Still smiling she headed from the infirmary.

The End


End file.
